Based on Marissa Stapley’s 2021 novel of the same name and adapted for television by “Your Friends & Neighbors” creator Jonathan Tropper, the Apple TV limited series “Lucky” is the captivating story of a young woman’s desperate attempt to free herself from the dark and violent life that has shaped her. More than an intricate game of cat and mouse, the crime drama plays with the tensions between nature and nurture while revealing the dangers and vulnerabilities that come with loving other people.

We first see Luciana “Lucky” Armstrong (a fantastic Anya Taylor-Joy) trying to evade the FBI at a crowded bus stop somewhere in Arizona. But this is not where Lucky’s story begins. In a flashback to the day before, Lucky embraces her husband, Cary (Drew Starkey), on the balcony of their sprawling Las Vegas hotel suite. On the orders of Lucky’s imprisoned con artist father, John (Timothy Olyphant), the pair have stolen $10 million from notorious gangster Wayne Whittaker (William Fichtner), and decide to live it up one last night before fleeing the country. Despite his celebratory mood, Lucky can’t shake the feeling that something is about to go terribly wrong.

When Lucky wakes up the next day alone in the suite, with neither Cary nor the money in sight, she realizes her instinct was right. With FBI Special Agent Billie Rand (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) on her tail and Whittaker’s deputy boss, Priscilla Matheson (Annette Bening), on her neck, Lucky must use all the knowledge her only father figure instilled in her to make it out of her circumstances in one piece.

Packed with gunfights, car chases and more than a few intriguing intrigues, the seven episodes of “Lucky” feature fast-paced sequences that rival those of any high-octane thriller worth its salt. Still, the show maintains its dynamism because it remains character-driven. Billie’s obsession with defeating Priscilla constantly puts her team in danger, because being so focused on one thing clouds the bigger picture. While it is clear that John loves his daughter deeply, his addiction to manipulation and money usurps his fatherly instincts. Priscilla is as cruel as they come, but her muscleman, Dutch (Clifton Collins Jr.), does all her bloody bidding. However, in Whittaker’s presence, he becomes softer and more docile. Cary, torn between his own desires and the expectations of others, can’t seem to determine where his loyalties lie. Lucky believes she can escape the world she was born into unscathed. However, as Priscilla reminds him at one point, “Just because you don’t like who you are doesn’t mean you can run away from her.”

Lucky faces this conundrum as he tries to track down Cary while escaping the FBI and Priscilla’s wrath. Meanwhile, the series explains how he got into this situation. Through flashback sequences, we see her childhood with John, marked by mistrust and lies. This exhausting existence has made Lucky emotionally dependent on his father. It also cost him the only sense of true normality he has ever known.

“Lucky” is a project worthy of Taylor-Joy’s talents. After the resounding success of “The Queen’s Gambit,” she was cast in the notable 2024 film “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” where George Miller’s show overtook her performance and flopped. “Luck” is different. Through the character of Taylor-Joy, the series reminds us to face ourselves, even the broken and painful parts that we find embarrassing. It’s about accepting the good and the bad before completely getting rid of what no longer serves you. As Lucky comes to understand, it’s one thing to con other people, but the cost of deceiving yourself is often insurmountable.

The first two episodes of “Lucky” debut July 15 on Apple TV, with the remaining episodes streaming weekly on Wednesdays.